(1)

Decision 2000/258/EC designates the laboratory of the Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments de Nancy (‘AFSSA, Nancy’), as the specific institute responsible for establishing the criteria necessary for standardising the serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines. That Decision also lays down the duties of that laboratory.

(2)

In particular, AFSSA, Nancy is to appraise the laboratories in Member States and third countries for the purposes of their authorisation to carry out serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines. In addition, AFSSA, Nancy is to organise inter-laboratory aptitude tests (proficiency tests).

(3)

In view of maintaining the authorisation granted to such laboratories, AFSSA, Nancy has, since the year 2000, been organising proficiency tests at least once per year.

(4)

Experience has shown that those proficiency tests provide an effective system of monitoring the laboratories which carry out serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines.

(5)

Article 3 of Decision 2000/258/EC does not include any provisions concerning the maintenance of authorisations already granted to laboratories in Member States or in third countries to carry out such serological tests.

(6)

In order to ensure the uniform application of that Article, it is appropriate to make the maintenance of those authorisations dependant on appraisal reports established by AFSSA, Nancy following the proficiency tests of the laboratories concerned.

(7)

It is therefore appropriate to lay down rules for the regular carrying out of the proficiency tests by AFSSA, Nancy, as well as for the drawing up of the appraisal reports.

(8)

The carrying out of the proficiency tests by AFSSA, Nancy is currently included in the yearly approved work programme for that laboratory. That work programme benefits from financial aid from the Union, granted pursuant to Council Decision 2009/470/EC of 25 May 2009 on expenditure in the veterinary field (2).

(9)

From 1 January 2011, the costs incurred by AFSSA, Nancy for carrying out proficiency tests should no longer be covered by such financial aid from the Union. However, in order to ensure that it has adequate resources to carry out proficiency tests, AFSSA, Nancy should charge certain fees to the laboratories which take part in those tests.

(10)

Those fees should be fixed by AFSSA, Nancy taking into account the criteria laid down in Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (3).

(11)

The laboratories in the Member States authorised to perform analysis to check the effectiveness of vaccination against rabies in certain domestic carnivores have been listed in Annex I to Commission Decision 2004/233/EC (4).

(12)

However, Decision 2000/258/EC, as amended by Council Directive 2008/73/EC (5), provides that the competent authorities of the Member States may, from 1 January 2010, authorise laboratories to carry out serological tests to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccines. That Decision also provides that Member States are to draw up and keep up to date a list of those laboratories that they have authorised and make it available to the other Member States and to the public.

(13)

Decision 2004/233/EC has therefore become obsolete and should be repealed for the sake of clarity of Union legislation.

(14)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,